I'm not sure but I think I read somewhere (on the forum) that it's not a good idea to prop the bike up off the ground and run the battery flat, can take a very long time as no resistance; I believe it's better to ride it until it cuts out.

 

Don't forget this is a NiMh battery.

 

After running down the battery it took about 5 mins left on propped up to stop turning. Then left for a while and another 5 mins at the lower speed.

 

On the charge up leave it overnight even when its finished but as Mark says only for charging after a deep discharge. Normally switch it off after the green light comes on. It never really takes longer than about 1.5 hrs to charge before the green light come on.

 

One thing I did notice the other day, was that I charged the battery just before I left the house and noticed a considerable higher boost in power for the first mile or two compared to when I relied on a battery charged the night before. This is consistant again with what Mark advises.

 

I can confirm the battery gets warm both after charging and after heavy use, again consistant with NiMh battery technology I have used in my model aero hobby.

 

Regards

 

Jerry

Edited October 9, 200916 yr by jerrysimon

The bike has done just over 1000 miles unless the odo's been reset at any time.

 

I was wondering if I could just leave the lights on to achieve the deep dischgarge in a more convenient way but perhaps there's some danger that it might dischage it too much. I guess I'll just need to get inventive with the garden furniture to prop up the bike somehow. Any tips? I'm woried I'll snap the computer light if I turn the bike upside down...

The bike has done just over 1000 miles unless the odo's been reset at any time.

 

I was wondering if I could just leave the lights on to achieve the deep dischgarge in a more convenient way but perhaps there's some danger that it might dischage it too much. I guess I'll just need to get inventive with the garden furniture to prop up the bike somehow. Any tips? I'm woried I'll snap the computer light if I turn the bike upside down...

 

I use 2 high backed dining chairs either side of the handlebars. I use a couple of hand towells to protect the hadndlebars:D When the wifes out of course.

 

The LED lamp can be pushed down a tad (Ithink there's adjuster to slack off somewhere) - just enough to clear the ground when you invert the bike. I leave mine like it - no problems.

 

1000 miles sounds good to me. Most probably accurate as well. My speedo battery is 13 months old and still clocking miles nicely so I doubt yours has had a battery change/reset.

Edited October 9, 200916 yr by Barnowl

NiMh technology is different and to be honest running the battery right down by running the motor or even the lights will not damage it. If it was left deep discharged for months maybe then it might but in this application its fine.

 

As said you can balance the handle bars on a couple of chairs as I also did.

 

I stayed by the bike whilst it ran just to make sure nothing happened. It only took 5 mins then a wait 30 mins or so (go do something else) and then another 5 mins watching it, let the battery cool down for an hour or so then recharge.

 

Regards

 

Jerry

Edited October 9, 200916 yr by jerrysimon

...When the wifes out of course...

 

Now that is a top tip. Must admit I'm beginning to think my long suffering wife is getting a little fed up with my latest obsession. Must remember not to use the best tea towels to wipe off all the accumulated oil and grease...

I was wondering if I could just leave the lights on to achieve the deep dischgarge in a more convenient way but perhaps there's some danger that it might dischage it too much.

 

Please do not discharge the battery using the lights. I don't think (though I could be proved wrong) that there is a low voltage cut-off for the lights as there is for the motor so it will take the voltage down to zero - not a good idea. In fact I think there is something in the manual about it (do you have a copy?). You can use the lights for up to an hour after the motor has cut out but no more.

Yes:

 

DON'T

 

Use the lights for more than 1 hour after assistance has expired, this can damage the battery and permanently reduce its capacity.

 

Also

 

Don't leave the battery plugged in on the bike when not in use. This will eventually flatten the battery and could permanently reduce its capacity.

Yes

 

Again - DONT do this.

 

However, the 2009 range does not allow for a deep discharge in the manner described due to the pedal sensor. How am I supposed to achieve this desired deep discharge, I wonder?

Running a battery down with the wheel off the ground can take forever since the consumption is so low. Best way is to use it on the roads very locally under power until it cuts out. Starting from an already fairly low point that doesn't take very long and it needn't leave you far to pedal back without power. If you've got the odd steep climb near to home, just keep riding up and down that and it will discharge very quickly indeed. These are the techniques I've always used, but I'm lucky (?) in that I live up a steep hill.

.

I never fully discharged the battery once on my Cytronex not even initially-like wise I never fully conditioned/ ran down either of my Torq 1 batteries.The Cytronex was still giving 20 + miles after a year and over 2000 mls -the first Ezee battery lasted 2 years [100 mls weekly deristricted] the second is still going strong [hopefuly !!!].I have to say when the Ezee battery failed it did so within the space of a few weeks.

O.K. I guess I wont be using the lights to run down the batteries. :o

I did get the piece of paper that mentions not to use the lights for too long after the motor cut out but I just wondered if it would be O.K. for the special case of deep discharge.

 

I did do the deep discharge last night though. None of our chairs have high enough backs to support the handlebars so in the end I just lay the bike on its side and moved it around until the front wheel was off the ground.

 

The bike had been used on the road until the motor cut out. Then I let it run on the high setting laying on its side as described above - It still took over an hour to stop! Then I left if for the half hour and ran on the low setting. This time it was 5 mins. On charging the battery it only charged for one hour before the fan cut out and the green light came on. Is this normal? I was expecting about an hour and a half especially after the deep discharge. I then left it on charge all night as advised. I'll let you know how many miles I get later.

An hour does seem a little short especially after your deep discharge. I would expect at least and hour and half.

 

Oh well you will soon know when you test ride it to see how long you get. That said it really does depend on how you ride it and how much power you use comapared to pedalling.

 

Good luck.

 

Regards

 

Jerry

It's a bit of a black art this deep discharge. I'd have expected 90 mins worth of charge as well but 60 mins might be OK. I haven't done my battery yet. Let us know how you get on.

Well a couple of days after the deep discharge it's now taking 1 hour 20 mins to charge and I got to 18.5 miles before the motor cut out which I think is getting closer to what others are seeing.

 

I think the range people see will vary hugely and depends on hills towards the end of the range. It's always a hill on which the motor cuts out. For example if my trip consisted of another 5 flat miles where I wasn't demanding too much assistance I'm sure the bike would have covered it easily and I'd be reporting a range of > 20 miles.

 

Overall I'm still delighted! If you buy a second hand electric bike you probably should expect the battery to be knackered. In this case I get a very usable range and I doubt it's much down on what it was when new and it easily covers my 15 mile round trip to work and home.

Pedalo,

 

I am glad it all turned out ok. Mine took about 1hr 15mins this morning to charge but then my round trip commute to work is only 10 miles. It does seem to make the bike fly more if you charge just before you cycle.

 

Sounds like your battery is fine. I too was worried when I purchased my 18 month old Cytronex re the battery. I think NiMh batteries are probably a safer bet and more forgiving to a little abuse than the newer Li-Ion ones.

 

Like you I am thrilled with my Cytronex and quite frankly if you can find a good second hand one they are a bargain. I am not sure I would want to pay £1400 for an equivalent new one though.

 

That said I have started looking at Bromptons

 

This whole bike/ebike thing is so addictive and I am having so much fun.

 

PS broke my record last night and got home in 22 mins

 

Regards

 

Jerry

Edited October 14, 200916 yr by jerrysimon

Pedalo,

 

I am glad it all turned out ok. Mine took about 1hr 15mins this morning to charge but then my round trip commute to work is only 10 miles. It does seem to make the bike fly more if you charge just before you cycle.

 

Sounds like your battery is fine. I too was worried when I purchased my 18 month old Cytronex re the battery. I think NiMh batteries are probably a safer bet and more forgiving to a little abuse than the newer Li-Ion ones.

 

Like you I am thrilled with my Cytronex and quite frankly if you can find a good second hand one they are a bargain. I am not sure I would want to pay £1400 for an equivalent new one though.

 

That said I have started looking at Bromptons

 

This whole bike/ebike thing is so addictive and I am having so much fun.

 

PS broke my record last night and got home in 22 mins

 

Regards

 

Jerry

 

Yes the bike is noticably livlier on a freshly charged battery. I have a longish niggling hill near the start of my journey. I surprised a poor chap on a nice looking road bike who was riding in race position (and in serious cyclist atire) up this hill when I easily cruised past him - Great fun!

 

£1400 is a lot to pay for a new bike. I wouldn't pay it myself but if my company was running the cycle to work scheme I probably would have. In fact my company are talking about introducing it next year and I may well upgrade to a new one then. I don't know if there are any kind of limits on how often you can buy a new bike under the scheme but I'm hoping I could upgrade every couple of years without too much personal expenditure.

I think the period is the same as the interest free loan period i.e. 18 months.

 

The limit for each purchase is also £1000 I think.

 

Regards

 

Jerry

Yes the bike is noticably livlier on a freshly charged battery. I have a longish niggling hill near the start of my journey. I surprised a poor chap on a nice looking road bike who was riding in race position (and in serious cyclist atire) up this hill when I easily cruised past him - Great fun!

 

£1400 is a lot to pay for a new bike. I wouldn't pay it myself but if my company was running the cycle to work scheme

 

Just think though that poor chap on the nice looking road bike might have just cycled 20 miles. Mind you, fair do's, I'd have done the same

£1400 is a lot to pay for a new bike.

 

I get these emails of "special offers" from places like Wiggle and from looking at them its perfectly possible the dude you overtook could well have spent much more on his . I know one guy at work spent £1300 on a MTB frame alone and then had to purchase the rest of the bits...

 

I know one guy at work spent £1300 on a MTB frame alone and then had to purchase the rest of the bits...

 

A whole frame! That's a bargain, have a look at this:

 

Seatpost

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